Young Blonde Girl Playing With Various Panties

History
In the 1940s, new styles of women's undergarments became available in the West that possessed a greater sense of sexuality focused on comfort and individuality, versus functionality and conformance to a certain body type; they were glamorized even more by models such as Bettie Page.
Colorful, bright, and flashier fashions of women's lingerie were becoming available. More fabrics such as cotton, satin, lace and silk began to be incorporated into the makeup of women's lingerie, making them more desired by females and more sensual to males. This is perhaps the great turning point when panties became more than simple hygiene products and developed into an icon of pleasure and sexuality worldwide.
Since then, women in flattering and provocative panties and lingerie have become a staple of several functions of male and lesbian popular culture. Several men's magazines such as Maxim and FHM often use images of attractive females in sensual lingerie to capture mainstream appeal.